This invention relates to a steering wheel.
To impart steering wheels a high-quality appearance, portions of the steering wheel rim may be provided with decorative elements which have a specially designed surface, e.g. wood, imitated wood or metal surfaces. It is of essential importance that these decorative elements are firmly connected with the steering wheel and are not detached from the steering wheel e.g. due to vibrations occurring while driving.
DE 299 10 997 represents a possibility of attaching a decorative element to the steering wheel rim, with a clamp element extending around the steering wheel skeleton and the clamp element being foam-coated except for latching elements disposed at the same, so that in the finished steering wheel it is disposed below the sheathing of the steering wheel. The decorative element has been clipped onto the latching element of the clamp element. The manufacturing effort for this kind of attachment is relatively high due to the sheathing of the clamp element.
It is the object of the invention to create a simple and safe attachment for a decorative element on a steering wheel.
This is achieved in a steering wheel which comprises a hub, a steering wheel rim and at least one spoke connecting the hub and the steering wheel rim. At least one of the steering wheel rim and the spoke has a skeleton and a sheathing surrounding the skeleton. The sheathing is one of a foam casing and an injection-molded casing, i.e. a casing having a substantially reduced firmness and hardness with respect to the skeleton. The steering wheel further comprises at least one decorative element and at least one clamp element at which the decorative element is latched. The clamp element at least partly encompasses the sheathing. Thus, the clamp element is applied only after the sheathing of the skeleton has been applied. In this way, a sheathing of the clamp element can be omitted. Preferably, the invention relates to a steering wheel with a foam-coated skeleton.
Preferably, the sheathing has at least one recess for accommodating the clamp element. The recess may be a depression in the surface of the sheathing, which is adjusted to the geometrical dimensions of the clamp element. Preferably, the depth of the recess has been chosen such that the thickness of the clamp element corresponds to the depth of the recess and the clamp element is flush with the sheathing. The injection molding tool for producing the sheathing must be modified only slightly to produce such recess.
The recess may be designed such that there is formed a stop for fixing the clamp element in its position.
Preferably, the clamp element has a first latching element and the decorative element has a second latching element, the first and second latching elements making a latching connection with each other. Known latching connections, e.g. those with latching hook, are suited to connect the decorative element with the clamp element.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the clamp element has portions which are directly supported by the skeleton. In this case, the recess in the sheathing may be so deep that in a portion of the steering wheel rim the skeleton is exposed. In this portion, the clamp element encompassing the sheathing directly rests on the steering wheel skeleton, which increases the stability of the attachment.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the decorative element peripherally surrounds the steering wheel rim at least in portions as seen in cross-section, and the steering wheel rim is surrounded by an inlay in a portion of the periphery which is not surrounded by the decorative element. By means of such inlay, which may for instance consist of foamed material, the diameter of the steering wheel can be adapted to the decorative element, so that no edges are produced, as decorative element and inlay peripherally adjoin each other.
Preferably, a leather coating is provided by which the steering wheel rim is at least partly surrounded, the leather coating comprising edges which are clamped below the decorative element. In this way, fixing the leather coating in the vicinity of the decorative elements by means of sewing or bonding can be omitted.
The clamp element preferably has been clipped onto the sheathing. The clamp element preferably has a defined inherent elasticity, so that it firmly encompasses the steering wheel rim once it has been clipped onto the same.
In the preferred case, the clamp element does not protrude into the sheathing. Encompassing the sheathing, above all in conjunction with the recess and an inherent elasticity of the clamp element, turned out to be sufficient for fixing the clamp element and along with the same the decorative element in a stable position on the steering wheel.